Best of Intermediate Class - 1960

Thanks in no small part to the recent boom in highway construction, as well as the burgeoning sizes of suburban families, there has been another kind of boom. Intermediate cars. Less expensive than the battleships that take up the road, yet more spacious than previously available entry-levels, these models set new standards for life behind the wheel. And the foremost standard setter this year is a station wagon, the Earl Eagle Custom.

The smooth, reliable Black Smoke Six puts 185 cubic inches under the hood, standard. Paired with Earl’s 2-speed automatic transmission, the Eagle Custom gives drivers a sense of confidence, even if performance is much less than thrilling. Modern unibody construction helps keep body rattles to a minimum, and a coil suspension setup allows for an unusually low loading floor for the cargo area.

The Earl Eagle Custom comes standard with an AM radio, and the heater is quite powerful and effective for the package. It is also consumes much less fuel than the average for the class, and is both reliable and inexpensive to repair.

We have a couple minor quarrels with the design of our test unit. First, the split bench front seat is only wide enough for two, giving the Earl room for only 5 occupants. And while we enjoyed the overall distance the Eagle could go on a tank of gas, we’d be perfectly okay with slightly shorter range if it meant a boost to power. This is the biggest detractor from the Eagle; it is near the bottom of the pack in power.

Bogliq Burchell Deluxe

“…a pretty close second to the Earl. The Burchell is a dream to drive, and easy on the wallet…”

Best of Full Size Class - 1960

The King of the Road this year is, well, the King. Katsuro King, that is. Of all the full-sized cars that we tested this year, covering a wide range of budgets, tastes, and engines, this Japanese import came out on top. The seeming antithesis of the Model A-2-X from four years ago, this beast is big, fast… and expensive!

Yes, it’s probably something that will catch the eye of bankers, stars, and powerful business leaders. It’s also something for those of us who are a little more mundane in our station in life to pine for.

At 305 cubic inch displacement, the V12 under the hood is smaller than a number of V8’s offered by competitors. But its exceptional balance, exquisite smoothness, and whisper quiet emissions make for a motoring experience like no other.

Styling of the King is very conservative, yet its classic nature keeps it from seeming all that dated. The interior is a class of its own, and might well be something straight from a monarch’s personal limousine. Katsuro has even gone to the lengths of installing a phonograph player in the cabin.

Is it practical for most families? Absolutely not. Does it give thrilling, pulse-pounding performance? No. Will it make you feel like the King? Without a doubt.

Best of Sports Class - 1960

What to do when it’s time to go for a drive? Not to work, or with the family, but a real drive? Perhaps just yourself and your sweetheart, on a curving canyon road? If you didn’t know anything about cars, you’d probably be horrified by the answer “Pull out a Bazooka.” No, no… we’re not talking about Army weaponry or crude references to your nether regions. We’re talking about a Bogliq Bazooka.

Now, it was a close battle, and it very easily could have gone another way. But hear us out.

The Bogliq Bazooka is a driver’s machine. It doesn’t utilize a giant, firebreathing V8. But a 225 cubic inch straight-six that puts down 168 horsepower in a small two-seat model is very respectable. But suspension tuning is, for such a car, just as important a choice as the engine. Here the Bogliq shines. Its uncanny ability to attack curves and dart in and out of traffic makes for a formula that is the very embodiment of “fun.”

And, in true Bogliq fashion, it delivers all of this with a reasonable price tag. When compared to our number two selection, it’s just barely over half the price. Which leaves more in your pocket for theater tickets. In the next city over.

Platinum Panamerica 1

“…the sheer thrill factor is beyond the Bogliq thanks to its screaming V8. But being beyond the financial means of the average man doesn’t help when faced with such strong competition…”

Pros: Very high sportiness, very prestigious model
Cons: Very high purchase price

Best Engine - 1960

Silver-York Big Block+5 Point Relative Rating bonus

Our staff took little time to deliberate this year when determining which motor would be our Best Engine this year. The hands-down favorite is the Silver-York Big Block, used in their Sovereign sedan. Although outclassed in both power (Platinum Stardust 351) and torque (Rocha 670 Rocket), the Silver-York puts down big power in ways that other competitors can’t. That is to say, quietly, and reliably. Power application is also very smooth throughout the band, giving the big V8 a confident feel, but with a sense of gentlemanly restraint.

While it is a bit of a premium engine, it is undoubtedly the right application for an upscale model such as the Sovereign.

SPECIAL ENGINE ADVISORY

This year we have to take a step back from our normal protocols for one moment. Normally, we like to give pros and cons to our readers, and let them decide for themselves. While we may recommend certain models or engines, we have never explicitly advised against a specific purchases. But for the sake of acting in good conscience, we have to brush that aside for the moment.

During our testing this year, we came across an engine that we, frankly, must label as one to avoid if at all possible. We refer to the Courageux “A4 AL/AL” 102 cubic inch engine. This peculiar all-aluminum mill we found to be very anemic, but more concerning, to be very coarse and poorly fitted. Our test vehicle, a Croisiere, suffered a catastrophic engine failure on a highway trip, after about total 700 miles of testing. It had to be towed over a hundred miles back to the dealer. We were given another test vehicle, but the replacement made the exact same disconcerting noises as the first. For the safety of our test team, we returned that vehicle prematurely, and did not request another.

Round 3 - 1966

On his way out, President Eisenhower sends sends American soldiers into harm’s way, this time in Vietnam. After ushering in a new era of hope with his election in 1960, John F Kennedy gets to work on the nation’s problems, including dealing with the heated space race between the USA and Soviet Union. The Soviets soon have a leg up in this matter, as they launch Yuri Gagarin in the first manned space mission. Meanwhile, overseas oil production comes under control of an economic cartel known as OPEC. Further increasing Cold War tensions, the Soviets erect the Berlin Wall in 1961. Nuclear war nearly comes as the Cuban Missile Crisis heats up in 1962, but the situation is defused before it is too late. Shocking the entertainment world, Marilyn Monroe is found dead of an overdose. And yet, a few months later, Beatlemania begins to sweep the world. John F. Kennedy’s life and presidency are cut short by an assassin’s bullet in 1963. Lyndon Johnson is sworn in, and then easily won re-election in 1964. The action in Vietnam becomes a full fledged war for the US. At home, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 expands upon the earlier protections of the previous act. Yet another feat of architecture and engineering is completed in 1965, as the Gateway Arch is built in St. Louis. And still, suburban expansion continues, as the first Baby Boomers reach college and the workforce.

Regulations

Fuel: Leaded (universal), Super Leaded (universal)

Bumpers: Required, but no regulation as to size or strength.

Front lights and fixtures: At least one pair of headlights required. Only round, sealed-beam are allowed in this era. At least one pair of turn indicators required. Turn signals may be placed in bumpers.

Front light colors: No red may face forward.

Rear lights: At least one pair of brake lights. At least one pair of turn signals. At least one pair of reverse lights. Turn signals and reverse lights may be placed in bumpers. If turn and brake lights are in the same fixture and of the same color, there must be a minimum of two bulbs in the fixture.

Rear light colors: Brakes must be red. Reverse must be white. Turn signals cannot be white.

Side marker/signal lights: Front side markers required. Rear side markers not required.

Side light colors: Front side markers must be amber. Optional rear side markers must be red.

Mirrors: Driver’s side required.

Aerials: Long mast antenna required if car has a radio.

Fuel fillers: Fillers on the rear panel and hidden behind fixtures are legally allowed (Regulations banning this will occur in the early 70’s). Fuel fillers must be on the opposite end of the vehicle from the engine.

Tires: Cross ply (universal) is REQUIRED for US-based manufacturers. Radial (rare, expensive) may be used by import companies, but this will incur a stat penalty to your most important stats on any car so equipped. This restriction will remain in effect until radial tires become mainstream in the US in 1970.

Muscle Car (File naming convention: MC) - High-power cars, often 2-doors based off of existing models. Can include Pony Cars as well. SPECIAL RESTRICTION: Vehicle MUST be a trim another submitted vehicle

Remember, vehicle categories are based on your company’s lore for the US market, there is not a specific body size requirement or type for any category…
(though the Muscle Car category MUST be based off of one of your other models)

NO NEW COMPANY REGISTRATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED

Round 3 deadline: Tuesday April 14, 9:00 PM PST (UTC-8)

Companies now eligible in this competition:
All EXCEPT Hakumai and Bravado

Oh dear, if the American public didn’t like the reliability of the pushrod aluminium engine they won’t be liking the twin cam. The board will have to meet and make a decision about the American market in the coming days

1961-1965 - Round 2 Aftermath/Round 3 Prologue

By 1965, Toby Hampton was overseeing the development of two new model lines, to go on sale by the following year. These would be crucial to the company’s continued presence in America; the original Valiant had fallen behind its competitors in terms of reliability and affordability, although it was still as comfortable as it once was. Most of this also applied to the Ferret, and as such, in 1961, Toby green-lit replacements for both of them.

However, the rest of the range was performing better in the marketplace. Their flagship sports car, the Peregrine, had proven to be a hit with wealthy enthusiasts, especially the Sprint version, and the Vanguard was doing very well in the luxury car sector, giving the Katsuro King a run for its money, especially at its lower price point. For those on tighter budgets, the Shrike still had plenty of appeal; it was cheaper and slower than the Peregrine, but lighter. And despite their advancing age, the Transtar and Nevis were still as popular with fleets as ever.

Toby had traded in his Valiant for a Vanguard early in 1961, and for good measure, he also bought a Peregrine Sprint at the same time, to be used on weekends and special occasions. It was when he was driving the latter on a B-road blast with Dave that he received news of one of their closest competitors, Courageux, being lambasted for using an all-alloy engine which, in testing, proved to be severely underpowered, unrefined and unreliable. He suggested to Dave: “Well, it seems they only cared about weight savings and nothing else when making that engine. It seems like we won’t be equipping any of our cars with even a part-alloy engine for the next 15-20 years or so.” Dave silently nodded, and decided to pass down that information to other company staff.

Bigger news came in 1965, when they bought the rights to the tooling and blueprints for a small, compact V8 that the US-based Morton Auto Division had rejected for being underpowered. Toby didn’t know what to make of it - until he realized that it could serve as the brand’s new flagship engine, for use in the company’s more upmarket models. He also suggested another application for the V8 - one that newly appointed Powertrain Engineer Bob Walker had become particularly interested in.

“Bob, why not put that V8 into the Valiant to create what those Yanks call a “pony car?” Surely it will make its mark with all that extra power - but don’t forget to remind Dave that it must also harness it effectively in the corners. If we get this right, we could have a giant-killer on our hands.”

“I gladly accept your proposal, Mr. Hampton. This is what we’ve been waiting for since the company’s inception.”

And so Bob and Dave set to work on would turn out to be the first-ever range of V8-powered cars ever to roll out of the Hampton factory gates in Warwickshire. Toby, meanwhile, turned his attention to a redesign of the Nevis - the design brief stated it had to be as reliable and capacious as ever, without compromising too much in other areas. This would be quite a challenge for the Hampton Motor Group - one that Toby was willing to tackle head-on.

You’re right. I looked again and they’re definitely there. Played around with the camera angle and there’s an angle at which they almost completely disappear, however. I may have been looking from that angle when checking fixtures. I will remove the “violation”.

The Earl Motor Company was very satisfied with the immediate sales victories reaped in by the success of the new Eagle. Initially thought of as a “compact” to compete with imported cars, but due to the larger size (similar to that of standard size Earl models of 1950) and six cylinder engine, “intermediate” was coined. The high development costs of it alongside the three other downsized offerings was more than offset by massive sales - with the very conservative Eagle massively outselling the more unconventional rear-engine Earl Vista, the four cylinder independent rear suspension Silverhare Siesta, and the aluminum V8 powered Silverhare Sabre.

While reviewers recommended the Eagle, their criticisms of tight interiors and low power led to new ideas - a downmarketing of the Eagle to a “compact” and a truly intermediate offering below the ever-expanding full size cars - as well as performance trims of both the Eagle and these new intermediates.

The company was satisfied by the response to the redesigned full size cars, but due to limitations from from a high-speed redesign had limited trunk space and underwhelming brakes. The company had expected difficult competition from import brands in the compact and even sports car fields, but luxury models were unexpected. Resolving to improve the full size cars with longer periods between design refreshes, the dimensions of the upcoming models increased as well as disc brakes being planned for implementation by 1964. Designers at Hirondelle were even considering development of a V12 engine…

The Banshee finally turned a profit for 1960, but that had never truly been the intention over the last few years. Always intended to simply draw people in to dealerships. But enthusiasts started to notice the limitations of the live rear axle and drum brakes - and the Banshee was to become a technology tour de force alongside its styling.

Out of character

The Eagle is obviously most based on the Ford Falcon, and I find it interesting that the performance was the biggest hold back. In 1960, whether automatic or manual, the Falcon only had a 2.4 liter six with 75hp. I had to borrow from the later 2.8L models and the Chevrolet principle of giving the automatic a bigger standard engine just to make it as not-dangerously-slow as it is.

It’s obviously not the most ealistic entry, but the Katsuro King is a very interesting idea. I have to wonder how a Japanese luxury car like the Nissan President or Toyota Century would perform in the US market. Fortunately, GM was developing a V12 engine in the late 60s for Cadillac, so the idea is not outside the realm of possibility.

Announcement:

There will likely be a delay both in acceptance of cars and in the submission deadline this round. I am keeping an eye toward the 4.0 release, and aware that may affect the stable build in the short run. If you haven’t already brainstormed your models, feel free to do so, but I wouldn’t actually build any just yet. Don’t worry; I’ll let you know both when submissions will be open and when the new deadline is.

Toyota had the century and the crown royale saloon but they weren’t sold outside of Japan, so i was toying around with that same idea. It probably wouldn’t have sold well because of the price, but who knows

VicVictory:

The seeming antithesis of the Model A-2-X from four years ago, this beast is big, fast… and expensive!

Muscle Car (File naming convention: MC) - High-power cars, often 2-doors based off of existing models. Can include Pony Cars as well. SPECIAL RESTRICTION: Vehicle MUST be a trim another submitted vehicle

Sorry for my ignorance but the translation was not clear to me. If all my cars have 4 doors can I send one with the same body but two doors?